Ballot-box



(No Model.)

I. w.. BARRETT. BALLOT BOX.

No. 488,748. Patented Dec. 27, 1892.

UNTTE STATES PATENT O FI E.

' FREDERICK W. BARRETT, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,748, dated December27, 1892. Application filed January 30, 1892. Renewed November 1. 1892.Serial No. 450,608- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. BARRETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State ofOhio, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements inBallot-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ballotboxes.

The object of my improvements is to lock the ballot box in both itsclosed or sealed positions and when partially open to admit of voting,to this end my improvements have reference to a box provided with asliding cover, the cover being provided with an opening for theadmission of votes when in its voting position and holding means forsaid cover; have reference toa special form of holding means adapted tohold the cover in position, in both its sealed and voting positions,consisting of overlapping pieces carried by said members and having asliding engagement each with the other member; have reference to apivoted locking latch adapted to engage with said cover and lock it inboth positions; and have reference to other points hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings on which like reference letters indicatecorresponding parts: Figure 1, represents a perspective view of myballot box in its sealed condition, a portion of one holding piece beingbroken away to show the ballot opening normally covered thereby; Fig. 2,an end view of the box, the opening position of the latch being shown bydotted lines; Fig. 3, a vertical section through the latch and a portionof the box, on the line a: as Fig. 2, the cover being shown in itsvoting position; Fig. 4, detailed views of the locking latch, Fig. 5similar views of the matching portion therefor. Fig. 6, a perspectiveview of a ballot box in its voting position.

In some States the law requires that each judge shall individually lockthe ballot box, being provided with a separate and difierent keytherefor. My device admits of attaching.

a number of pad-locks to the box, and, by simply adjusting the cover,the locking latch will lock the same in both its sealed and votingpositions. Referring to the drawings, the

letter A designates the box provided with a cover B, slidingly mountedtherein, and having an opening 0 at one end, or elsewhere, to admit ofinserting the ballots within the box when the cover is in its votingposition. This opening however, is covered by a strap D, or otherholding piece, wide enough to close the opening when the box is sealed,and being socured to the box by end extensions E, it holds the coveragainst other than sliding disengagement from the box. The opposite endof the cover is provided with a holding piece E, preferably secured tothe cover itself, and having extensions E at the ends, which simplyembrace the box to strengthen it. The latter holding piece is engagedwith the box by an inwardly extending lug F, adapted to slide into amatching opening in the end of the box, and prevent lifting out this endof the cover while engaged with the said opening. As seen from Fig. 3the cover B may be drawn out far enough to expose the opening 0,sufficiently for voting purposes, while one end of the cover is held bythe strap D, and the other end by the lug F. In order to prevent furthersliding of the cover, a locking latch G, pivoted at H, is adapted toswing into engagement with a slot B, Fig. 3. The latch is provided witha loop or handle, which may be connected by a pad-lock, or otherwise, toa matching handle G, secured to the box itself, whereby the latch willbe prevented from turning. When the latch is inserted in the slot B, andthen looked to the matching handle G, the cover is locked in its votingposition; by rotating the latch to the dotted position Fig. 11, andclosing the cover, the latch may be rotated back to the outside or endthereof, as seen in Fig. 2, and lock the box in its sealed condition.The locking position of the latch is the same in both positions of thecover, but engages differently with the cover, to effect said lockedpositions. The holding pieces D and E, are preferably in the form ofangle straps to strengthen the box; and the other corners aresimilarlystayed, if so desired, by corner irons. The latch and its matchingpiece, serve as a convenienthandle for the box, as well as a place ofattachment for the looks.

The holding pieces may be mounted one on one member and one-011 the,other, as hOWn-in this form ofthe device; or maybe'otherwise connectedto the box as long as they serve to hold the cover, and close the box,as hereinbefore described.

The removal of' the cover is readilyeft'ected by turning the latch tothe dottedposition shown in Fig. 2, and drawing out the cover till bothends are free from their engagement with the box.

Fig. 6 shows a ballot box in perspective, the cover being drawn out toits votingposition and slidingly engaged at the sides with the box, by atongue and grooveengagement. The latch is engaged with the coversimilarly to the'sectionalviewof-Fig, In both forms; the strap at the;-latchzend of the cover-is, dropped; down o below the lower surface of:cover. in orderto prevent slipping ballots, intothe-box- In- 6 thelug-,extension to-hold thercover in-posi-tionw is not used; the

rabbet ofi the box:on-leachsid-e-of the co ven acting ;to"hold thelatter frombeinglifted out.

Ilavingthus-fu-lly described my invention, what Iclaim asnew and, desireto'securaby, Letters :Patent is:-

, 1. In, a ba1lot:bQx,-the combination withthe; box and aslidablecovertherefor vhaving an opening .to admit votes-,- of. a covering; piece"carried by ,the box adapted tofcoversaidopen ing and-seal the box-inonetposition, and to; 1

' expose said openingforvotin g, in another po w si-tionnof thecover,and meansjtogilock said;

coverin said voting andsealed positions.

2. In aeballotxbox, the combination with a: l

box and ,a cover therefor, adaptedfor the ad- 3. In a ballot box, thecombination with a box, and. a sliding cover therefor provided with anopening for the admission of ballots,

.of'a holding piece normally closing said opening, andconsisting of arstrap secured to the box at one end, another holding piece mount- .ed onthe cover atthe'other end, and provided with an inwardly extending lugengaging with the box to norm ally prev-entgraising the cover, the coverbeing; th-us held from other than sliding; movement, and means ,torlimitasaid, sliding-movement to lock,th-ercover-at-prede 4; Illi-a=;ba;llOIwb QX;the.-OOlIIblIlELtlOD ;Wltlhfifi box, and a sliding cover,theretor, and a; -hold-' ingdevice toprevent otherwthan slidign gwm0Y-.

ment of the;cover, of alocking latch-pivoted to said box and :adapted'to. engage with-said cover, at predetermined points to loele. the

cover, and rhaving a loop or handle, portion, a: matching loop securedto thebox, and means; to secure said looped-,- pprtionsflgtogether andeffect alocked condition oit'- .the,- latch Intestimonywhereofl {aifix my -si-gn atu're'i n presence-of two witnesses Y EREDEBIGK W. BARRETT. lWVitnesses:

WARREN M. 'MQNAIR, JOHN FENWIGK.

ditions, and means to securethe latch in its lockingposition-therewith.

